PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF SWINFEN AND PACKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT CONFERENCE ROOM 1, CONFERENCE CENTRE, HMP SWINFEN ON WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH 2015 COMMENCING AT 7.10 P.M.

PRESENT

Councillor R Barnes in the Chair Councillor Armstrong

In attendance:

Ms J Minor, Parish Clerk Mr Norman Elliott Mrs Edda Harrison

PUBLIC FORUM

No questions were raised.

67. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillors J Barnes, Dyott, Stowe and Stubbs.

68. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None declared.

69. MINUTES

RESOLVED That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 14 January 2015 (Minute Nos. 53 - 66) as circulated, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

70. CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Water running off the fields at Botany Bay – Storm Drain

Councillor R Barnes informed all present that he had received a letter from Christopher Pincher MP enclosing a copy of letters from County Council (Highway Authority) and Severn Trent which stated that the authorities were monitoring the situation. Councillor Armstrong stated that this matter comes under the Land Drainage Act.

Councillor R Barnes informed all present that a pedestrian had been killed on the A51 (south side) and the police were asking for all witnesses to come forward.

Councillor R Barnes circulated at the meeting photographs showing the diversion of the water onto the road.

RESOLVED That Councillor R Barnes writes to Staffordshire County Council (as Highway Authority) to ascertain a more satisfactory response. 18

SWINFEN AND PACKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Forthcoming Elections - Thursday 07 May 2015

Existing Members and members of the public were reminded that all completed nomination forms needed to be delivered to District Council by no later than 4.00 p.m. on Thursday 09 April 2015.

71. HOPWAS QUARRY

Councillor R Barnes gave background information to all present. It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That an item on Hopwas Quarry continue to be included on the next agenda.

72. THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PLANS

Councillor R Barnes informed all present that Councillors J Barnes and Dyott were attending a HS2 meeting. It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That an item on the High Speed Rail Plans (HS2) continue to be included on the next agenda.

73. REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNAL AUDIT 2014/15

It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That the Parish Council considers the system of internal control to be sufficiently effective and the Review of Effectiveness of Internal Audit 2014/15 be signed by the Chairman.

74. STATEMENT OF INTERNAL CONTROL AND ANNUAL REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNAL AUDIT

It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That the Parish Council considers the controls currently in place are effective and that the Statement of Internal Control and Annual Review of Effectiveness of Internal Control be signed by the Chairman.

75. PLANNING DECISION PLANNING APPLICATION 14/01159/ADV ACCESS TRACK ADJACENT TAMWORTH ROAD, WHITTINGTON HEATH RETENTION OF TWO FREESTANDING ILLUMINATED SIGNS

RESOLVED That the information be received and noted.

76. GROW WELL - VISITORS’ GARDEN AT THE REAR OF THE VISITORS CENTRE, HMP/YOI, SWINFEN PRISON

It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded by Councillor Armstrong and

RESOLVED (1) That a cheque be drawn made payable to ‘the Grow Well Project’ in respect of an annual contribution in the sum of £100 towards the cost of maintaining the garden (cheque no. 100315).

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(2) That this be reviewed annually and be further considered on the Agenda for March 2016.

77. WEBSITE

It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That a cheque be drawn made payable to Newfangled Media Limited in the sum of £181.20 in respect of the continued maintenance of the Parish Council’s website (cheque no. 100314).

78. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED That under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 (Section 2) (and as expended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972), the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information.

79. PARISH CLERK’S SALARY

It was proposed by Councillor R Barnes, duly seconded and

RESOLVED That cheques be drawn in respect of the Parish Clerk’s February 2015 (cheque number 100312) and March 2015 (cheque number 100313) salary, HMRC – April 2015 (cheque number 100317), Staffordshire Pension Fund – April 2015 (cheque number 100316), HMRC – May 2015 (cheque number 100319) and Staffordshire Pension Fund – May 2015 (cheque number 100318).

80. DATE, VENUE AND TIME FOR NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS

RESOLVED That Wednesday 13 May 2015 in the Conference Room 1, Conference Centre, HMP Swinfen commencing 7.00 p.m. be confirmed as the next Parish Council meetings.

(The Meeting closed at 8.10 p.m.)

Signed ………………………………………….

Dated ……………………………………………

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